Article in TES: We must be more imaginative about skills

The combination of Brexit, concerns about economic productivity and alarm over social mobility has put the spotlight firmly on skills and training. This sector was already a recipient of numerous policy initiatives and interventions – if not always the resources to help deliver better outcomes for young people – but now the debate about the future of work and life is almost feverish.

There are plenty of thoughtful and well-researched publications and policy papers about specifically defined issues. These are useful but there is a growing appetite for something more comprehensive and long-term, recognising the links between the impact of a fast-changing economy and the need to be more imaginative in the way we think about skills, lengthy and complex career pathways and, above all, young people as they confront key decisions about their future.